MIAMI, FL - JANUARY 02: LeBron James #6 of the Miami Heat looks on during a game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Arena on January 2, 2013 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)The Cleveland Cavaliers just fell to the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs first round. It wasn’t close. The Pacers blew out the Cavs, 98-80, in Cleveland.
It’s been a long time since LeBron James lost a first round game. How long, exactly? Well, more than five years.
LeBron James hadn’t lost a first round game in the NBA Playoffs since he was a member of the Miami Heat. That loss came in 2012.
The Miami Heat, the No. 2 seed that season, lost to the No. 7 seed New York Knicks in Game 4 of the first round. The Heat went on to win that series in five games.
So, this is LeBron James’ first loss in the NBA Playoffs’ first round in six years. James had a streak of 21 straight wins in the first round going. That is now over.
His 21-game winning streak in the first round included sweeps over: Bucks (’13), Bobcats (’14), Celtics (’15), Pistons (’16), Pacers (’17).
Pacers will snap LeBron James's streak of 21 straight first-round playoff wins.
– LBJ's last first-round loss: 5/9/2012, Knicks beat Heat in Game 4.
– Swept Bucks ('13), Bobcats ('14), Celtics ('15), Pistons ('16), Pacers ('17).
– LBJ now career 48-8 in first-round games. pic.twitter.com/UUIBUswkFl— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) April 15, 2018
There’s still a long way to go in this series, obviously. The Cavs are still the favorites according to the oddsmakers.
It’s clear, though, that the Cavs have a lot of problems to fix moving forward if they’re going to make any kind of run deep in the playoffs. James got almost no help from his teammates today. The Pacers tore apart the Cavs’ defense, as well.
Game 2 of the Cavs-Pacers series is set for Wednesday night. James will attempt to get another first round streak going then.
